| At approximately 7:45 p.m., Clay County Fire & Rescue was dispatched to a residential structure fire on Hogsed Drive in the Elf School Fire District. The first arriving crew reported heavy fire conditions, and a defensive attack was initiated in an effort to protect nearby vehicles and structures.
Unfortunately, despite the efforts of responding crews, the home was a total loss. The fire was determined to have been caused by a lightning strike.
At 8:07 p.m., while crews were still responding to and operating at the Hogsed Drive fire, a second call was received for a residential structure fire on Oak Forest Road in the Hayesville Fire District. Additional crews that were en route to Hogsed Drive were diverted to the second incident.
Upon arrival, the homeowner reported that a lightning strike had traveled along the propane line and started a fire in the crawl space beneath the home. The first arriving crew was able to make entry into the crawl space and quickly suppress the fire before it caused major damage to the residence.
Responding to two structure fires at nearly the same time requires a tremendous amount of coordination, personnel, and resources. Clay County Fire & Rescue relies primarily on volunteer firefighters, and nights like this demonstrate just how important those volunteers are to our community.
We are always looking for people willing to step up and serve their neighbors. Whether you have previous experience or are completely new to the fire service, if you are interested in becoming part of Clay County Fire & Rescue, learn more at clayncfire.org/join.
We would like to thank Clay County EMS and Towns County Fire & Rescue for their assistance at the Hogsed Drive fire.
We would also like to give a special thank-you to Papa’s Pizza To Go. The owner happened to live nearby, saw what was going on, and had pizzas delivered for our crews while they worked the incident. After a long evening operating at two fires, that kindness was greatly appreciated.
With both of last night’s fires caused by lightning, these incidents are also a reminder of how quickly severe weather can create dangerous conditions with little or no warning.
We are fortunate to serve a community that continues to look out for its first responders and for one another. |
